It’s a few minutes into a conversation about Tom Thibodeau being let go by the New York Knicks. The different sides to the matter are being discussed — and you should know that, among NBA types, there IS more than one side to the issue.
Suddenly, the front office source on the other end of the line changes course. In so doing, he makes this a story about the Boston Celtics’ future, not the Knicks’ past.
“You do realize that if Porzingis is heathy, we’re not having this conversation, right?” he says. “The Celtics win that series, Thibodeau gets fired and almost nobody gives it a second thought. It had been set up that he needed to get that team this far or that far, or his job could be in question. Then they get to the conference finals and they still let him go. What does that tell you?”
His ensuing points are not about Thibodeau and the coach’s now former employer, but rather wonderings on what the Celtics will do as they navigate the treacherous waters of the second apron tsunami and the absence of Jayson Tatum for most, if not all, of next season. He’s been hearing the talk that the Celtics could make moves to clear salary, potentially dealing Kristaps Porzingis and/or Jrue Holiday and moving on from one or more of their free agents (most prominently Al Horford and Luke Kornet).
‘I Don’t See How They Can Let Him Go’
Steven Ryan/GettyAfter Jayson Tatum’s injury, the Celtics have big decisions to make this offseason.
Holiday is 35 as of June 12, and Porzingis is coming off a postseason where he was limited by a respiratory ailment.
“I don’t know what they’re going to be able to do with the luxury tax and the new ownership, but from a purely basketball standpoint, Boston is still in really good shape,” the source told Heavy Sports. “Hell, there are a lot of teams that hope they break up part of that team, because that will give others a better chance.
“But unless they know something about Porzingis that we don’t, I don’t see how they can let him go. When Boston was right, he’s a major factor and they win. Yeah, he wasn’t a huge part of what they did in the playoffs last year. Because of the matchups, it didn’t hurt them that bad when he missed a bunch of games. But then you look and see, he scored well when he did play, and he was giving them a couple of blocks a game in limited minutes. He gives you something you can’t really guard. He opens up their offense, and he gives them so much at the rim on the other end of the floor.
“I’m really surprised that I’m reading he might get traded. Even about Jrue Holiday. I’m confused about why you would want to let guys like that get away. Those are the kind of guys that put you over the top. Those are the kind of guys that, when you get to slot them into a role, they give you so much. They allow your stars to play. They open the floor on offense, and they give you the defense that allows you to run your schemes and take some chances.
“Now, if it’s all about the money and the second apron, then I’m not confused. I get the money part of it, so I want to say that. But if you trade Jrue Holiday for a first round draft pick to get off his money, you have to take money back. There’s only so many teams that can afford to just take Jrue Holiday for a pick. But you don’t think he’s still got something left? Still got a lot left?”
Lest you get the impression this is merely the anomalous opinion of a single NBA employee who’s been fatigued watching too many workouts and too much video in preparation for the draft, know there are many others who aren’t willing to look past the 2025-26 Celts.
One coach checked in to say his memory was good enough to recall the Bostonians getting to Game 7 of the 2018 Eastern Conference with rookie Tatum and without the injured Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward.
“Don’t get me wrong,” said the front office guy. “Are they going to win a title next year? Probably not. But there’s no reason that Boston — even waiting for Tatum and if he comes back late or doesn’t come back at all — won’t be good. With the group they have right now, they’re still going to be right in it in the East. If they keep what they have, that’s still a top-six team in the East. They’re not playing in the play-in tournament. And if you trade for a first round pick, what are you getting? Are you going from the 22nd pick in the draft to the 18th? With who they have and how Joe (Mazzulla) coaches, they’re still going to be a competitive team in the East.”
‘There’s a Lot of Teams That Would Gladly Trade Their Roster for What Boston Has, Even Without Tatum’
Pausing to scan the roster that finished this season, he went on: “They’re not going to trade Derrick White. They just can’t. The two guys that I’m wondering about are Horford and Kornet. Do they keep both of them or not? A lot of people around the league are wondering about this. I’m a Kornet fan. I think he’s a good back-up center for not crazy money.
“With Horford, his value to the Celtics — and, I’m sure, to other teams — it doesn’t go unappreciated. If I’m Boston, I don’t know what it costs to bring him back or how it would work with the cap, but I think his presence on the Celtics makes Joe’s job much easier. Those guys respect him in the locker room to where his voice matters. That’s Al. I think there’s certain veteran players that go to other teams, and it’s more for, ‘Oh, we got this guy to bring us a veteran presence in the locker room.’ I think that s—‘s overrated if it’s not the right guy.”
The bottom line is that this basketball operations veteran believes the Celtics still have a lot of right guys. If there are large changes to the club based on the CBA and financial constraints, those are matters those on his organizational level cede to others. But if it’s just about hoopage, he doesn’t see the C’s falling very far at all down the conference ladder.
“They’ve got a great system and enough guys that they’ll be competitive,” he said. “They probably won’t finish 1-2 in the East, but they’ll finish in the top five, top six if they keep everyone and they’re healthy. That’s still a really good basketball team. Tatum is great, but there’s a lot of teams that would gladly trade their roster for what Boston has even without Tatum.”
Interesting thoughts as the Celtics wade deeper into an offseason that could be more jarring thantheir earlier-than-expected exit.
